2010 Edinburgh Fringe
Geraldine Quinn review
This review was conducted on a quiet, rainy Tuesday night at the Fringe but, despite just a handful of punters managing to make it to the gig, musical comedian Geraldine Quinn still put in 110% effort. When you see this Golden Gibbo nominated Melbourne Festival hit act perform, you'll realise 110% effort is not actually a logical impossibility - Quinn is the definition of high-energy. She sings her heart out, leaps around stage and makes every beat count.
The premise of the show is that Quinn has decided to write the perfect pop song. It's a great idea as it allows the Australian to lovingly rip the piss out of all the various aspects of pop, deconstructing each ridiculous key element in turn. It's done in a loving way though - for example, we laugh as Shakira's ridiculous lyrics but still end up liking the music.
Quinn explains everything from how to dance like a popstar, to the art of crafting incomprehensible lyrics (see the show to find out how a website translation engine can help you master the art of making no sense in song form).
Everything is put together in a big showcase number at the end which, amazingly, manages to involve multiple costume changes too (as we learn earlier in the hour, costume is an important part of the whole 'pop package'). Whilst Quinn's end song may not actually be a chart topping number, it certainly gets laughs as the audience witness all the various elements coming together.
I don't think it'd spoil things to say there's an encore as, after all, the 'surprise' end song is an essential part of a musical performer's repertoire. Quinn's choice for her final song would certainly get her chucked off Top Of The Tops though. Much of the meaning behind her deliberately bad-taste musical tribute to the Gallipoli Campaign may be lost on a UK audience, but it's a catchy number and it doesn't take long to latch onto the amusing lyrics.
High-energy fun, with lots of laughs, Geraldine Quinn is certainly worth discovering.